Good morning Leathernecks, and on this the 17th day of August in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1912, the Tacoma puts its Marine detachment ashore at Bluefields, Nicaragua, to guard the U.S. consulate.
In 1915, Secretary of the Navy Daniels asks the Secretary of War to provide instruction in flying land planes to Marine and Navy aviators.
Lieutenant W. M. McIllvain is the first Marine to receive such training.
In 1917, the 1st Machine Gun Battalion is established at Quantico.
In 1922, the 1st Air Squadron is redesignated Marine Observation Squadron 1 (VO-1M).
In 1942, Companies Alpha and Bravo of the 2nd Raider Battalion land from submarines on Makin Atoll to destroy enemy installations and conduct a diversionary raid in support of the Guadalcanal offensive.
The Marines destroy the garrison, but heavy surf disrupts their withdrawal and delays it until the next night.
Marine casualties during the raid are 18 dead, 16 wounded, and 12 missing.
Of the latter, nine are captured soon after and beheaded on Kwajalein by the Japanese.
Major James Roosevelt, son of the president, participates in the raid as XO of the 2nd Raiders.
In 1950, the 1st Marine brigade opens a counterattack to regain the Naktong Bulge and drive the NKPA back across the river.
The Army’s 24tth Division attacks on the Marine right flank.
The 7th Marines begins forming around remaining elements (the regimental headquarters and one under-strength battalion) of the redesignated 6th Marines. The 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines (3/6), then afloat in the Mediterranean, will join at sea off Korea to provide the basis of the 7th Marines’ third infantry battalion.
In 1954, U.S. Naval forces begin the transfer of anti-communist refugees from Hanoi and Haiphong in the north to the south.
In 1956, the title of Marine Gunner is restored for warrant officers serving in non-technical fields.
In 1964, Edson Range opens at Camp Pendleton as a replacement for Camp Calvin B. Matthews, closed four days later due to urbanization around the San Diego area weapons training facility.
In 1965, during the period 17 through 24 August, the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4), 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (3/4), 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines (3/3), and the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines (3/7) participated in OPERATION STARLIGHT/OPERATION STARLITE, in the Van Tuong peninsula (south of Chu Lai) in the Quang Tri Province.
III MAF fights the first Marine regimental size battle since Korea when the 7th Marines (1/7, 2/4, and 3/3) launches heliborne and amphibious attacks against a VC Regiment around Van Tuong south of Chu Lai.
BLT 3/7 of the SLF eventually joins the fight.
Marine casualties are 51 dead and 203 wounded.
There are 623 counted Viet Cong bodies, with more casualties probably sealed in caves and bunkers.
In 1970, Exercise High Descent is held at Camp Pendleton as a climax to two weeks of annual training for more than 19,000 reservists of 4th MAW and 4th Marine Division.
In 1990, Operation Desert Shield sees the first elements of the 4th MEB (RLT 2, MAG-40, and BSSG-4) sail from Morehead City for the Persian Gulf.
In 2001, fifty-nine years after they died in the raid on Makin Island in 1942, 13 members of the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion are buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Their remains had been recovered and eventually identified by teams from the DOD’s POW-MIA office and the Central Identification Laboratory based in Hawaii.
Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas!
Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever!
-Richard W. Pettengill, Corporal USMC
And damn proud of it!